


Elena's Assignment

by theresalwaysaway



Series: Ficlets for All [5]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Ficlet, Post 04x04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 11:34:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8444272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theresalwaysaway/pseuds/theresalwaysaway
Summary: What happens to Gabe during the prison break?  Where is Yoyo? This scene takes place between 4x04 and 4x05.  Elena gets a new assignment.  {Spanish translation in curly brackets, if necessary.}





	

Mack found Elena in the cargo area of Zephyr One. Now that they had secured Robbie, they could take her home. “We’re about 10 minutes from your drop-off point. Coulson wants you to check up on Gabe. There’s a safe house nearby that you can use as a base.” 

“Gabe?”

“Robbie’s brother in the wheelchair. Coulson will give you the details, but we need Robbie with us and we don’t know for how long.”

“Can you trust him? What are you going to do?”

“Not sure. The situation is...volatile.” He stared off into the distance.

“I wish I could go with you. I could help, you know.” Elena gave him a questioning look. Mack did not respond. “But I get it. The mission. Yeah. No. I like this assignment. It’ll be like old times in Colombia.” And like when she checked up on Daisy, but she didn’t mention that.

“Funny, I don’t have fond memories of Colombia.”

“None? None at all?” It was where they first met.

“Maybe…I’m thinking...huh. It came and it went.” Mack remained as serious as ever and still had his arms crossed in front of him.

Was that a coolness coming from Mack? Was he still mad? Elena wanted to move past this, get it out into the open. “You understand why I couldn’t tell you about Daisy. Yes? I was watching out for her; I would have called you in if she got bad.” 

Something in him softened. “Fitz told me not to be too hard on you. I know you would have told me if you could.” 

“And if she runs again, I’m not covering for her. She needs to take care of herself and heal.”

“You have someone new to watch over.” 

“Yeah. It’ll be nice to be out of the shadows, but still be able to zip”--she grinned mischievously and snapped her fingers--“and become a shadow if it is required.”

“Which you used to invade our medicine supply.” Mack cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows.

“Which is exactly why I didn’t need to use you. I didn’t use you.” It bothered her that he thought that of her. “I wanted to see you,” she declared as she threw both hands in the air and dared to take a step closer. “You must know that.” Her hands fell back at her sides.

“I’m glad to hear it. But I was so angry. We were partners, Daisy and I…”

“Daisy’s trying to, how do you say, _equilibrar_?” {balance} Elena walked in a line heel-to-toe with her arms stretched out straight to either side.

“Walk a tightrope?” 

“Yes, she’s walking a tightrope. Wanting to stay and wanting to run. Pray for her, Mack.”

“Of course.” Mack uncrossed his arms and began to turn away from her but looked back just the same. “I don’t like secrets. You and me. I thought we were on the same team. I thought I could trust you.”

“I never lied to you.” She paused wondering if she should remind him of things she had heard. “Tell me about ‘Real SHIELD’.” 

“Ouch. Sometimes you want to see who you can trust.”

“You can always trust me Mack. I trust you. You are a good man. And Daisy trusts you, too. She knew you would try to find her but she wasn’t ready. Listen, she knew she could turn to us. She did, finally, no? She thinks she’s toxic. How do you tell her she’s not?

“You can’t. All you can do is hope and pray she’ll decide on her own.”

Elena found Mack’s concern endearing. She looked at him and thought of all the ways Mack found to help people around him. He was a machine, rescuing her in Miami, fighting injustice whenever he could. _We could do so much good together._ She began lobbying God as she often did in her spare time. _If he’s not the one, I will accept that... But I can’t imagine that there would be anyone better._

She broke the silence before Mack noticed her pensiveness. “We must be getting close to my drop-off point.”

“If you need backup you know where to find me. But text me anytime, for anything.” He was all business once again, but the edge was gone from his voice and his face carried a genuine smile.

“Of course. I’ll be worried if you don’t check up on me,” she grinned.

“Just take good care of Gabe.”

“I’ll be his guardian angel.”

He took her hand. “We both have jobs to do,” he reminded her, pulling her into a hug.

Coulson arrived in the cargo hold and announced, “We’re landing in a couple minutes.” Mack and Elena drifted apart while Coulson looked at Elena. “Ready?”

“Ready.” She looked around for her backpack. “It’ll be easy. Like eating cake.”

Coulson looked confused, but Mack just chuckled softly and helped her adjust her pack on her back. “You mean ‘a piece of cake?’” 

She smiled up at Mack. “Gracias. {Thank you.} A piece of cake. Yes. Hasta luego, Hombre Tortuga. {See you later, Turtle Man.} Try to finish the job quickly for a change,” she teased.

“I will try.” He laughed as he placed his massive hands on her shoulders. “Hasta pronto, Yoyo.” {See you soon.} 

He released her to Coulson and followed them to watch her descend onto the tarmac.


End file.
